


Coffee Shops and Time Lords

by StarkTony1



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Human AU, Hurt/Comfort, coffee shop AU, koschei has a masters degree, missy is dating john, missy owns a shop, theta is angsty, theta is trying to be a doctor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:35:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28836417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarkTony1/pseuds/StarkTony1
Summary: “Kos you’re staring. Customers don’t – most people don’t like it when strange guys stare” his friend, Missy said as she perfectly made a flat white without looking.Koschei hated her in that moment, both for calling him out and being able to perfect the trickiest of all the coffees.“Just saying” she grinned and handed the drink over.He stuck his tongue out at her as he put the drink on his tray. He looked around for the owner and found they were sat just behind the blonde bob of a woman he’d been staring at.
Relationships: The Doctor (Doctor Who)/Rose Tyler, The Doctor | Theta Sigma/The Master | Koschei (Doctor Who: Academy Era), Thirteenth Doctor/The Master (Dhawan)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First Doctor Who fic I've actually published :')

“Kos you’re staring. Customers don’t – most people don’t like it when strange guys stare” his friend, Missy said as she perfectly made a flat white without looking.

Koschei hated her in that moment, both for calling him out and being able to perfect the trickiest of all the coffees.

“Just saying” she grinned and handed the drink over.

He stuck his tongue out at her as he put the drink on his tray. He looked around for the owner and found they were sat just behind the blonde bob of a woman he’d been staring at.

“I hate you” he muttered to Missy as she grinned wider.

“No you don’t” she cooed and started to chat to the next customer.

He approached the customer with caution and greeted him politely. He was a lanky man, tall with brown floppy hair and hardly any eyebrows. Rounded glasses and a tweed jacket. The usual lot then, he surmised.

“Beautiful artwork!” the man grinned, “did she make it?”

“Who Missy? Yeah she’s good at flat whites”.

“Mind if I Instagram it? I’ll credit her”.

Koschei shrugged, “Sure why not” he smiled politely and moved away the empty cups on his table.

He looked at the woman who seemed deeply into her studies, two thick books were next to her and she was writing away.

He bit his lip and went to approach her.

“Theta you have got to see this art! I mean it’s almost too perfect to drink”

Koschei nearly jumped back as the man he’d been speaking to tapped the woman.

“Busy” she replied, nonplussed.

“Thetaaaaaaaa come on don’t be a bore”.

“I’m busy John” she replied, “my paper is due in two weeks”.

“Aaand two seconds isn’t going to make much of a difference is it? We’ve argued for longer. Well we’ve argued this morning for longer”.

“That’s why I’m here and you’re getting my back”.

Koschei bit a smile back and moved back to Missy.

“What are you so happy about?” she replied, half scowling but he knew she wasn’t really cross.

Missy was Scottish and more often than not Koschei thought being all scowly was part of her Scottishness. He’d said that too her once and was on bin duty for a week.

But then she’d laughed about it and told all the regulars that she was a grumpy wee Scot.

“I know her name” he gestured to the woman in the window, Theta.

“And that’s good because?” she asked and grabbed the dirty tray from him.

“Well calling her the cute blonde was starting to piss you off”.

“Only because I despise the word cute. And anyway I could’ve told you her name ages ago if you’d’ve asked me”.

Missy revelled in being chaotic, so really, her knowing Theta’s name shouldn’t have really surprised him.

“You what? You knew her name and kept it from me?”

“Didn’t know you were interested deary. Now be a poppet and make a hazelnut almond milk latte. Extra hot”.

He sighed and nodded, getting into a domestic level fight with Missy never ended well. And besides, Missy had a habit of knowing everything about her customers.

He made the drink and handed it to her.

“When have you ever seen me drinking anything other than black coffee? It’s for Theta you imbecile”.

“But she didn’t order one”.

“Oh? My mistake. Now you’ll just have to talk to her”.

He swore under his breath but couldn’t help but be excited to talk to Theta.

He moved over to her, noting that the flat white man; John was engrossed in his phone and his drink was half drunk.

“Hi uhm,” he started and she paused her writing.

“Not moving over, not giving up my view or big nose down there will riot”.

“Theta be kind” John stated.

She looked at Koschei and grinned, “oh it’s just coffee boy- no man, can’t really call you boy”.

“My name’s Koschei; I mean, you could call me that” he replied and held out the drink, “for you”.

“Me? I didn’t order anything?”

“No but you look like you need a coffee. It’s a hazelnut almond milk latte. Extra hot”.

She grinned, “now we’re talking. Set it down there Koschei my coffee man”.

He placed it on the side and she sniffed it.

“Perfect” she smiled.

“Theta stop sniffing your coffees”.

“Stop taking pictures of yours” she replied and grinned at Koschei, “thanks for the coffee”.

“You’re welcome” he replied and smiled back when she kept smiling at him.

“Thought you had a paper to write and _c_ _ouldn’t waste two seconds to look at my coffee_ ” John cut in.

“Staring at coffee and at a coffee bringer are two separate things”.

“I quite agree, but one is gonna get you into trouble and one literally can take two seconds”.

“Which is which” Theta replied and shrugged at Koschei, “he’s a cranky man today cause I drank the last of the instant”.

“Ah so you do admit it” John looked up at her, “knew it was you”.

“It’s always me” she winked at Koschei, “unless it’s not in which case it’s your stupid friend who thinks that plastic is going to come to life”.

“I’ll leave you two alone” Koschei said and backed away, he glared at Missy but she smiled sweetly.

“Wonderful isn’t she?”

“How on Earth do you know her Mis’?”

“Darling if I told you all of my secrets they wouldn’t be very secret now would they?”

He turned his glare into a pout and she laughed, “say something nice and I might tell you”.

Saying something nice to Missy often meant doing her a favour, “not worth it” he replied.

She smiled, “yeah it is… especially her…Theta…Sigma”.

He turned away from Missy, “I know what you’re doing and it’s not going to work Missy. Hi who’s next?”


	2. Chapter 2

Missy walked over to Theta and leaned against the table. She kicked John’s leg and grinned at him as he scowled.

“How’s your paper going deary?” she asked Theta.

“Well enough, it’s my last one before I can be submitted for my Doctorate”.

“Aw darling I’m pleased for you but does that mean you won’t be coming in to drink that hideous hazelnut syrup?”

Theta laughed, “I’ll be in Missy. John loves your flat whites”.

“So he should, wretched boy”.

John looked at her and poked his tongue out.

“I am older than you” he countered.

“And yet you dress like a child and act like one”.

“And you dress like a Victorian nanny when you’re not working”.

“Spying on me again John? How original”.

“Anyway darling, I came over here to let my bestest friend know I’m going to be on holiday for two weeks. So I might miss her getting any news…”

Theta smiled at Missy, “it’ll be months before they decide to do anything with me”.

“I know dear but one does worry about you”.

John looked at Missy fondly as she touched Theta’s elbow.

Theta nodded and moved away from Missy’s touch, “so does that mean Koschei will be here more then?”

“In between studying for his Master’s yes unfortunately” Missy joked, “he’s good at making coffee just not the art. I just…I think he requires someone with him to lock up you know? Someone to be in here…he’s frightful of loud unexplained noises”.

“Aren’t we all” John replied.

She kicked him again and glared.

“Well I need all the time to do my work so I could stay here longer” Theta suggested, “if I get free refills”.

“You’ll be the death of my delicious coffee Theta, but fine. Thank you”.

She nodded and grabbed her bag, pulling another book out she smiled at Missy, “and his last name”.

“Oh no child, no no. You are not looking him up, the poor boy”.

Theta looked at John, who shrugged and raised his hands, “don’t get me involved Theta. Missy knows what you can do with a name”.

“It’s not exactly my fault she retired. I just happened to say she looked tired”.

“To the President of the UN” Missy replied.

“Well how was I supposed to know that” she replied.

“You were at the board meeting” John added.

“Alright. Fine, gang up on me” she replied, “see if I care” she jumped down off her seat and grabbed her drink, “I’m getting another drink. And I’m putting it on John’s long standing tab”.

Missy shrugged, “up to you deary. But please, make him pay it this month”.

John looked at Theta walking over to the counter and then he looked up at Missy, “thanks”.

“Don’t know what you’re on about” she replied but sat down, “how is she?”

“Coping…she still wakes up in the night, screaming”.

“And the girls family?”

John fiddled with his mug, “they refuse to acknowledge her. Say it’s her fault Rose died. I think Theta well and truly believes it”.

“The poor wee girl”

“Guessing we still can’t tell her about us then”.

“She’s probably worked it out in between her studying. But no, not yet. Remember last April?”

“Oh Gods yes” he replied and looked at Theta staring at the coffee menu, oblivious to the queue that was forming behind her.

Missy sighed and stood, “how’s angry eyebrows?”

“Still annoyed you call him angry eyebrows” John laughed.

“Good” she replied and walked to the counter and started to serve the customers behind Theta.

* * *

Theta shook her head and then realised she’d been standing for a while, staring at the board.

“That’s a record” Missy said and took her cup from her, “2 minutes staring at my specials. You must have them memorised by now”.

“Sorry” she flushed.

“Don’t be” Missy replied, “Koschei spent hours writing them. Mainly because I kept changing my mind”.

Theta laughed, “sounds about right. Can I just have my normal?”

Missy nodded, “Koschei you can make it”.

“I liked the last one he made” she replied.

“Finally, he makes a good coffee” Missy replied and added her coffee to John’s bill.

“Mmm” she replied and smiled at Koschei, her eyes assessed his every movement.

“He’s really a good hand at the machine” Missy said quietly, “promise”.

She nodded but kept staring at him.

He blushed under her gaze, “do I have something on my face?” he asked.

“A nose” she replied automatically and laughed, “no sorry…I just get lost in my head. Need a bigger one”.

“Oh no you don’t you’d be unstoppable” Missy groaned, “just imagine all the coffee she’d drink Kos”.

“Kos…I like that. I prefer Koschei but…Kos” she smiled.

“You can call me whatever you want” he replied, “as long as I can maybe call you Theta?”

“Why would you want to do that?”

“Well…its your name isn’t it?”

“Is it?” she replied.

“Theta behave. The poor boy’s been staring at you all day”.

She grinned wickedly at the information, “you can call me Theta, Koschei”.

“Missy you are a pain” Koschei replied but smiled at Theta, “hope your studies go well Theta”.

“I hope yours do too” she replied and took the coffee back to her seat.

“How did she know I’m study- _Missy_!”


End file.
